New Products

Low cost adaptor to turn 2 Mobile Whips into a dipole. Straight dipole centre with 2x 3/8th inch mobile threads. 1x SO-239.

Low cost adaptor to turn 2 Mobile Whips into a dipole. Right angle dipole centre with 2x 3/8th inch mobile threads. 1x SO-239.

The ALPIN200 is the new 2KW power amplifier for all amateur radio bands from 1.8MHz to 29.7MHz. Like the ALPIN100-MKII before it, it has high quality components, for example Vacuum relays Gigavac, 2.5kVa high voltage transformer and Pope fan down.

2 tubes are used making more power available. Moreover, the ALPIN200 has 2 antenna connectors that can be selected using the front panel button. It has a built-in microprocessor that monitors all important operating data and displays it on the LCD display, it also gives tuning indication which simplifies tuning to a frequency. With this microprocessor the ALPIN200 has a comprehensive protection system available that can prevent damage to the amplifier. This constantly monitors the following parameters in operation and issues corresponding error messages and warnings:

Anode Current, Reflected Power, High Voltage, Fans, Vacuum Relay, G1 & G2 Grid Current, Power Supply, Input Power, RF Anode Voltage & Power, G1 Grid Voltage, Temperature.

Specifications
• Frequency Coverage: All Amateur Radio Bands 1.8 - 29.7 MHz
• Power Output: 2000 Watts CW
• Output Circuit: Pi-L Network with Matching Capability - VSWR up to 3:1 (16-150 Ohms)
• Output Impedance: 50 Ohm Unbalanced
• Input Circuit: Broadband with VSWR less than 1.3:1
• Driving Power: 60 Watts (typical)
• Harmonics: 1.8 - 29.7 MHz > 50dB Below Peak Output
• Intermodulation Distortion: > 35dB Below Peak Output
• RF gain: 15dB
• LCD Display
• Power Supply: 230V AC - 50Hz
• Tube: 2x 4CX800A (GU74B) Ventilated
• Dimensions: (W x D x H) 470mm x 415mm x 190mm
• Weight: 40 kg

A rugged self contained amplifier with high levels of protection.

The Alpin 100MKII is a rugged HF+ 6m linear amplifier that weighs in at 26kg. This meaty unit is completely self-contained with AC power supply and the rugged GU74B/4CX800 tube responsible for delivering the power.

Anybody considering the purchase of an amplifier are faced with a number of choices and directions to go in, and probably the most fundamental is whether to choose solid state or valve. There are still more valve amplifiers about today, even though almost every transceiver now uses a solid state PA device (or devices). And there is probably good reason for the retention of the valve for high power use.

A valve employs a high plate voltage to deliver the power and gain and this results in a relatively low current. It is much easier to obtain a clean output with high voltage and low current swing, and also enables the circuit to employ the well established pi-network variable output tuning which in turn makes it easy to deliver full power into modest VSWRs. On the other hand, a solid state PA operates on a very much lower voltage and to deliver the power and gain, it must draw high currents. This makes it more difficult to generate a clean signal and requires more extensive filtering. It also precludes the use of any form of variable output matching such as the pi-network just referred to. Other considerations are the fact that changing a valve is usually easy, but changing a solid state device often requires major surgery and is not a job that most owners would want to undertake for themselves.

If all this sounds as if the balance weighs heavily in favour of the tube, the answer is yes, for many people, but of course there are many solid state linears in use very successfully. But there is one issue with a tube design that has in recent times become an issue. Many operators have been brought up on a diet of solid state technology and so do not have an appreciation of the way in which a valve operates and the risk of valve damage that can occur in the hands of the inexperienced user. This mainly relates to the tuning and adjustment of the amplifier, where over driving and periods of off-resonance and high currents can result in damage to the tube. This is where a modern design like the Alpin-100 has added significant improvements and safety measures to the design of the traditional valve amplifier.

In the case of the Alpin-100MKII there is no traditional meter on the front panel, this being replaced by an LCD panel that provides all the information. When initially tuning, a 6dB attenuator is switched in until tuning is approaching the optimum and the LCD helps by indicating in which direction the tuning control needs to be rotated. Further protection is offered in the form of over drive and also a system whereby fault conditions can be displayed. Areas that are monitored are: Forward & Reflected power, Drive level, HF voltage, Current (Anode Screen and Grid) exhaust air temperature etc., The ultimate objective being to provide a design that is safe and easy to operate.

The amplifier will run to full power output of 1.3kW PEP when driven with around 65 Watts input. The amplifier is grid driven across a resistive load and so no input tuning is needed. For CW and RTTY the amplifier is rates at 1kW continuous and these levels offers plenty of headroom for working within the UK. RF switching is rapid, using the normal PTT to ground system and an internal vacuum relay provides the speed and power capability.

The Alpin-100 is made in Bulgaria and marketed exclusively in the UK by Waters & Stanton PLC.

Icom’s latest base station offering 1.8 - 440MHz plus 1296MHz and D-Star options.

The Icom IC-9100 is Icom’s new offering for the operator who is looking for a complete high performance radio that covers HF - UHF in one box. It offers 100 Watts output on all bands up to 2m, whilst on 70cms you get a healthy 75 Watts. An internal auto ATU is included which covers HF plus 50MHz.

The receiver has excellent sensitivity and tests show that it is well up to the IC-7600 performance. This is the first Icom wide range transceiver to offer two independent receivers and full duplex. This makes it ideal for both DX HF operation and satellite work on the higher bands. Indeed the IC-9100 is a landmark radio.

There are four band groups and each group has its own dedicated antenna socket (HF has two sockets) on the rear panel. The band groups being HF+50MHz, 144MHz, 430Hz and 1296MHz (the latter only being available if the option is fitted). General coverage receiver operation extends from 30kHz to 60MHz.

Modes covered are what you would expect, including SSB, CW, FM, AM, and with the option fitted, VHF/UHF digital voice mode. CW performance is well up to specification with QSK working extremely well and an advanced memory and contest keyer also built in. SSB reports were very good and the recovered audio was equally well up to expectations.

The conversion frequencies vary with each band group, but the one that many will be interested in is the HF range. Here the first IF is 64.455MHz in order to provide good image rejection. The basic bandwidth here is 15kHz, achieved with the standard fitted roofing filter. Additional roofing filters of 6kHz and 3kHz are available as additional fittings.

As is becoming more common now, the IC-9100 is fitted with a USB port that provides access to the outside world in terms of PC control and also passing audio and data. For those who need the feature, there is provision for a GPS receiver to be connected.

Radios that cover HF to UHF are not new by any means. But what Icom have done here with the IC-9100 is to produce a radio that is far less of a compromise than previous designs. Indeed, aspects of the IC-7600 and IC-7800 now appear in this radio, and if you have an interest in operating on all bands, with a compact single box station, the IC-9100 merits serious consideration. Indeed, at the present time (March 2011) it has no competitors that offer performance at this level.